Only 1 million PS3s estimated available at launch

Got burned by the 360 launch? Better get your preorders in early for the PS3, …

Gaming is big business, so it shouldn't be too surprising when financial analysts weigh in on the PS3's console launch. One Evan Wilson from Pacific Crest Securities has estimated that "the most likely scenario" for Sony's next-gen console will be a scant 1 million available for a November release. Now that's a prediction of "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" we didn't want to hear.

The death of official information from Sony has forced Wall Street analysts to once again put on their prognostication hats. The latest industry-expert augury comes from Pacific Crest Securities' Evan Wilson, who believes the PlayStation 3 won't launch until November, versus the "spring 2006" window announced at E3 2005. Speaking to the Investor's Business Daily, Wilson also said the "the most likely scenario" is for Sony to ship around 1 million PS3s in North America by the end of the year. That's nearly three times as many Xbox 360s Microsoft sent to US and Canadian stores in 2005.

Sure, that number would be more than what was available at the 360's launch, but if you got burned that time, better make sure you get that preorder in. But I personally wonder, what with the head start the 360 has built up, if Sony will actually sell out at launch? 1 million is still a big number, but if Sony can't bring the MSRP down they'll price themselves right out of the market. Of course, if Gran Turismo 5, currently rumored to be one of the games at launch, is confirmed, we might have to pick ours up at midnight. Until then, Jonathan will have to content himself with the long-overdue PSP port of GT4.